On May 31, at Icahn Stadium on Randall’s Island in New York, 21-year-old Usain Bolt of Jamaica set a new world record of 9.72 seconds in the 100-meter dash, breaking compatriot Asafa Powell’s previous record of 9.74 seconds.

A New York Times article noted that, although Bolt has never tested positive for drugs, he “faced inevitable questions from reporters” about performance-enhancing substances before the race even began.

Track and field has faced intense scrutiny in the wake of multiple cases of drug use by athletes, including former world record holders Marion Jones and Tim Montgomery, as well as their coach Trevor Graham.

The sport “has become so compromised by doping that any startling performance brings immediate suspicion,” said The New York Times.

In an effort to establish a clean slate, the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) has announced a pilot program of enhanced drug testing of track and field athletes leading up to the summer Olympics in Beijing. The plan is “voluntary and is limited to 12 athletes,” who will be subjected to ongoing, frequent blood and urine tests.

Other sports are not immune to doping scandals or suspicion of performance enhancement, particularly when records are broken. In April 2008, swimming merchandiser Speedo was sued by its rival TYR over a record-breaking swimsuit thought to give its wearers an unfair competitive advantage.

Steroids are also at issue in this Saturday’s Belmont Stakes, during which Triple Crown hopeful Big Brown will compete legally on anabolic steroids, as will at least one of his competitors.

After a false start, Bolt stormed out of the gate, and said he knew by the 50-meter mark that he’d beaten American sprinter Tyson Gay, his closest competitor in the race. Bolt is a 200-meter specialist but was running the 100-meter race for speed training.

A New York Times article said Bolt has never tested positive for drugs, but he nonetheless “faced inevitable questions” about steroids before the race even began. Bolt’s coach, Glen Mills, said he was not surprised by the accusatory questions, and reiterated his athlete’s innocence. “Usain doesn’t even want to take vitamin C. We know he is as clean as a whistle,” said Mills.

Performance-enhancing drugs have even shown up in horse racing, and have been part of the sport since “long before they became part of the sports world’s lexicon,” reports the International Herald Tribune. In the 2008 Belmont Stakes, Triple Crown hopeful Big Brown will compete on anabolic steroids, as will at least one of his competitors. Steroids are legal for horses in several states, including New York. Although some trainers denounce the use of the drugs, others say steroids aid horses with poor dietary habits but do not strongly affect a horse’s race performance.

In May, swimming merchandiser Speedo was sued by its rival TYR over a record-breaking swimsuit. The LZR Racer has helped swimmers shatter world records, but many have questioned whether it provides an unfair competitive advantage.

In late May 2008, Trevor Graham, the coach of convicted steroid users Marion Jones and Tim Montgomery, was convicted on one count of lying to federal investigators. The jury found that Graham lied about his relationship to an admitted steroids dealer, but remained deadlocked on the other two charges against him.

In April 2008, the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) announced a pilot program of enhanced drug testing of athletes leading up to the summer Olympics in Beijing. The plan is “voluntary and is limited to 12 athletes,” who will be subjected to ongoing, frequent blood and urine tests. Program testers will monitor changes in athletes’ body chemistry, rather than looking for specific substances.

NPR has a brief audio segment explaining the USADS pilot program. “Some elite track and field athletes are so eager to prove they’re clean, they have signed up for many more drug tests than required,” said NPR.

An editorial in the New Jersey Star Ledger said Tyson Gay would be forced to pay for “the sins of his predecessors” at the summer Olympics in Beijing. Because of his outstanding race results, Gay “can’t outrun the controversies” of the steroid scandal.

U.K. newspaper the Daily Mail said it is inevitable that, “fairly or not, eyebrows will be raised” because Bolt is considered a 200-meter specialist, and his record-breaking race was just the fifth time he’d ever run the 100-meters. Come Beijing, “we could hardly be blamed for wondering if they are taking the proverbial,” said the Daily Mail.

According to the Houston Chronicle, Bolt’s speed is partly due to “something seemingly small.” His “ability to deliver more force to the ground relative to his body weight” gives him an edge over other runners, reported the Chronicle.